Comedy Platinum out of Toronto - "Canada's Team" quest for the Cup

[BGDave]

Wasn't sure whether to put this in the Van People or Toronto thread but...

Mel Lastman’s open letter to the people of Vancouver - 680 NEWS

Back in 1999, I was also in touch with leaders in P.E.I, who let me know if the weather got real tough, I could always call them for help. So I called them.
P.E.I. volunteered to send 100 trucks and 100 drivers to remove our snow. When I asked what the volunteers wanted to do in Toronto, every single one of them said they wanted to go to a hockey game. So I called Harold Ballard, who owned the Maple Leafs at the time, and asked him to get me the tickets. He said, “Are you crazy? How am I going to get 100 tickets?” The game was only two days away. I told him no one will even be able to show up at his Leafs game if we don’t get help clearing the snow. He called me back an hour later and said I got you 100 seats for free. The P.E.I. guys loved it. They even mentioned at the game how there were guys from P.E.I. who made the game possible.

Just when I was convinced Rob Ford was the biggest shitshow of a mayor Toronto's ever had, I find out Mega Mel was having conversations with an asshole Leaf owner who had been dead for 9 years.

OMG that made me laugh!

From one Bad Boy to another!

Once again, I drift down memory lane. . .

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

OMG that made me laugh!

From one Bad Boy to another!

Once again, I drift down memory lane. . .

He also thinks PM Mulroney has a very good chance of re-election and thinks Toronto is long overdue for an NBA franchise!

 

[dash]

He also thinks PM Mulroney has a very good chance of re-election and thinks Toronto is long overdue for an NBA franchise!

Doug Flutie is available for Argos QB!!

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Doug Flutie is available for Argos QB!!

Wut's an Argo?

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Came across some funny Mel stuff:

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Fake news?

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Not that Dregs is ever wrong but going by that jersey I'm gonna say it's a Ukranian team

So a secret Ukranian (enemy to Russia) with a Mexican mother. How long until Auston is no longer allowed to play road games outside Canada?

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

This is actually related to something that I wouldn't mind discussing in the Leafs thread. Top unit defenseman. Is one absolutely needed? If the answer is "yes", what's the plan?

Moved it here so we're not flooding the main NHL thread.

I really have no idea how they should proceed on defence though. Do you think Zaitsev has 1D potential? Because I'm kinda leaning that way, and if so then going after another expensive righty 1D (like Shat) seems like burnt money for a team that has a few okay players that are going to want some big money soon.

So, assuming the upgrade on RD is more modest, how do we feel on the left? Like I said in the main thread, I'm pretty concerned about Rielly. His defensive game doesn't seem to have grown much after the initial bump he made after Babs took over. I'm a Jake fan but we need to keep in mind that he'll be 27 before next season and will need a new deal (and a significant raise, probably) in July 2019 whereas Rielly may be a less complete player but has cost control for 5 years after this one. Are Jake's skills at risk of significant regression as he pushes 30? Does that speed start to disappear?

Farm-wise, unless there's a guy or two making waves that I'm unaware of (Lindgren?) it would appear Nielsen is the only guy near NHL-ready and he's a righty. Maybe that makes upgrading on the left more palatable.

My hottest of taeks: sign Zaitsev long-term, try and package Rielly and picks/prospects for whatever top LD might become available, have faith in Jake and try and get him signed to a Rielly-like deal into his 30s. If they're paying under $20 million for their 3 best defencemen and the new LD is more responsible off the puck than Rielly while still contributing offensively I think they're in good shape.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Also, if everyone on TSN (save Bob, of course, because he wasn't smashed on the skull with a ball peen hammer as an infant) doesn't stop trying to trade Nylander I'm gonna plant drugs in their cars and call the fuzz.

 

[dash]

Also, if everyone on TSN (save Bob, of course, because he wasn't smashed on the skull with a ball peen hammer as an infant) doesn't stop trying to trade Nylander I'm gonna plant drugs in their cars and call the fuzz.

lol - Gotta like BBB using a circa 1970's reference for police.

 

[BGDave]

lol - Gotta like BBB using a circa 1970's reference for police.

 

[BGDave]

My hottest of taeks: sign Zaitsev long-term, try and package Rielly and picks/prospects for whatever top LD might become available, have faith in Jake and try and get him signed to a Rielly-like deal into his 30s. If they're paying under $20 million for their 3 best defencemen and the new LD is more responsible off the puck than Rielly while still contributing offensively I think they're in good shape.

If you reverse Reilly and Gardiner in your take, I am with you 100%

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

If you reverse Reilly and Gardiner in your take, I am with you 100%

Why Rielly over Gardiner?

 

[BGDave]

Why Rielly over Gardiner?

Because I prefer we keep guys whose names I can't spell?

I would prefer to keep both. Going solely by the eyeballs alone, the biggest difference for me is age and control. I do not see either as a true #1, Norris-candidate level player. But Rielly in theory could be, and at 22 can still improve. I think Gardiner's ceiling is what we see now.

Neither are lock-down D, neither have the size and inclination for it. Neither are going to provide the offensive numbers an elite D will put up (Karlsson, Burns).

The one area Gardiner might have an advantage over Rielly is puck-moving out of their own zone. Honestly, I have not focused enough on that aspect to assess yet. At times the team struggles with this, and I have not paid enough attention to see if this is dependent on who is out there on D. Something for me to watch over the next 6 weeks. At the same time, it seems that Rielly is more inclined to jump into the offense and go deep in the offensive zone. Which I kind of like, and have not seen him get too badly burned when he does it (good wing support).

Which kind of leads to Dragon's question. Do the Leafs (or any team) need a true #1D. For me, I guess it depends on what you want a #1D to do. Are we talking about Norris trophy winners? I skimmed through the list over the past 10-20 years and a minority of them won the Cup in their Norris year (if ever). To win, I think you need at least 2 D-men who can contribute offensively, and although I think Rielly and Gardiner show flashes of it, my gut says a true Cup contender would need a little more offensive production then either currently produces. Again, I think Rielly can improve here based on age alone.

Now I am going to differ wildly from many. I think a Cup contender needs a couple D that contribute on offense, and needs to supplement those 2 with 4-5 solid stay-at-home D. Guys who are solid, dont make mistakes in their own end, and clear the net. I am trying really hard to not say "truculent" but that is what I mean. Maybe "physical" is the word I am looking for. And this is where I prefer guys like Polak and Hunwick to guys like Carrick (their style of play, their skill level comes up a little short). You need D who can go into the corners with the power wingers, hold their own, and win most of the puck battles. Going back to the early 90s, I am thinking about guys like Rouse and Macoun.

What do the Leafs need? For me, improve the support D and keep both Gardiner and Rielly is my vote. Let the young forwards continue to develop (and they are better than they were at the start of the year) and DONT TRADE DRAFT PICKS.

 

[BGDave]

Came across some funny Mel stuff:

And in that same genre,

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Because I prefer we keep guys whose names I can't spell?

I would prefer to keep both. Going solely by the eyeballs alone, the biggest difference for me is age and control. I do not see either as a true #1, Norris-candidate level player. But Rielly in theory could be, and at 22 can still improve. I think Gardiner's ceiling is what we see now.

Neither are lock-down D, neither have the size and inclination for it. Neither are going to provide the offensive numbers an elite D will put up (Karlsson, Burns).

The one area Gardiner might have an advantage over Rielly is puck-moving out of their own zone. Honestly, I have not focused enough on that aspect to assess yet. At times the team struggles with this, and I have not paid enough attention to see if this is dependent on who is out there on D. Something for me to watch over the next 6 weeks. At the same time, it seems that Rielly is more inclined to jump into the offense and go deep in the offensive zone. Which I kind of like, and have not seen him get too badly burned when he does it (good wing support).

Which kind of leads to Dragon's question. Do the Leafs (or any team) need a true #1D. For me, I guess it depends on what you want a #1D to do. Are we talking about Norris trophy winners? I skimmed through the list over the past 10-20 years and a minority of them won the Cup in their Norris year (if ever). To win, I think you need at least 2 D-men who can contribute offensively, and although I think Rielly and Gardiner show flashes of it, my gut says a true Cup contender would need a little more offensive production then either currently produces. Again, I think Rielly can improve here based on age alone.

Now I am going to differ wildly from many. I think a Cup contender needs a couple D that contribute on offense, and needs to supplement those 2 with 4-5 solid stay-at-home D. Guys who are solid, dont make mistakes in their own end, and clear the net. I am trying really hard to not say "truculent" but that is what I mean. Maybe "physical" is the word I am looking for. And this is where I prefer guys like Polak and Hunwick to guys like Carrick (their style of play, their skill level comes up a little short). You need D who can go into the corners with the power wingers, hold their own, and win most of the puck battles. Going back to the early 90s, I am thinking about guys like Rouse and Macoun.

What do the Leafs need? For me, improve the support D and keep both Gardiner and Rielly is my vote. Let the young forwards continue to develop (and they are better than they were at the start of the year) and DONT TRADE DRAFT PICKS.

I doubt they end up moving either of them but I just think Rielly would have more value thus would be more likely to be moved for the exact reasons you said (young, room to grow, control). I think Gardiner also has more value to the team right now and they shouldn't want to let that go - Leafs are scoring 3 goals/60 minutes at even strength with Jake on the ice compared to 2.5 for Rielly. Similarly, they're allowing .6 fewer ES goals against with Jake on the ice compared to Rielly.

Big picture, I think Rielly will hit a point where he's capable of 50 points a season but given his defensive downside that I'm not certain he can overcome I don't know if I'd rather not just include him in a package for an upgrade to a team that might be looking at a bit of a rebuild instead of having Bryan McCabe 2.0 here for the next half-decade.

The Leafs will need the "shut-down" guys at some point too, undoubtedly. Hunlak isn't going to be around long-term (I sincerely hope, at least lol) and that's two 3rd-pair spots they'll need to fill and hopefully can do so with guys that aren't total possession liabilities.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

DONT TRADE DRAFT PICKS.

Meh. Depends on the deal. Calgary were in a similar position as Toronto two years ago when they made the playoffs unexpectedly and wound up with a mid-round pick. They moved that (and two seconds) for Dougie Hamilton.

I would definitely move a mid-round first and two seconds for Dougie Hamilton, and the Leafs happen to have 4 second rounders over the next two drafts.

 

[BGDave]

Meh. Depends on the deal. Calgary were in a similar position as Toronto two years ago when they made the playoffs unexpectedly and wound up with a mid-round pick. They moved that (and two seconds) for Dougie Hamilton.

I would definitely move a mid-round first and two seconds for Dougie Hamilton, and the Leafs happen to have 4 second rounders over the next two drafts.

Fair enough, but for every Dougie Hamilton there is a Tom Kurvers and Owen Nolan.

 

[BGDave]

Reported by LeBrun today:

"The Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t going to mortgage the future for a short-term fix just because they’re in the playoff race. The Leafs' long-term plan will prevail, but it’s worth noting that if they do indeed need more cap room at the trade deadline, they have up to $13.5 million in cap space available from Nathan Horton, Joffrey Lupul and Stephane Robidas, who are all on long-term injured reserve. The Leafs haven’t used those LTIR dollars all year and have been carrying those three players under their cap."

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Reported by LeBrun today:

"The Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t going to mortgage the future for a short-term fix just because they’re in the playoff race. The Leafs' long-term plan will prevail, but it’s worth noting that if they do indeed need more cap room at the trade deadline, they have up to $13.5 million in cap space available from Nathan Horton, Joffrey Lupul and Stephane Robidas, who are all on long-term injured reserve. The Leafs haven’t used those LTIR dollars all year and have been carrying those three players under their cap."

I think we might see a couple of salary dump deals for draft picks (as long as nobody has any NTC/NMC's that would burn their expansion draft strategy) since two of those LTIR's are still signed for next season.